Gas leakage in Rivers community

The management of the Port Harcourt Refinery has assured the people of Ibuluya-Okrika in Okrika Local Government of Rivers State of their safety, following the gas leakage from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC’s) pipelines.

The refinery’s spokesman, Ralph Ugwu, confirmed the leakage.

He said the area had been cordoned off, with the pipelines clamped and repairs being made.

Ugwu said the leakage was as a result of the activities of vandals, who thought the product in the pipelines was fuel.

Ugwu said: “The first thing we did was to cordon off the area and clamped the affected parts of the pipelines.

“The leakage stopped with the clamping.

“Immediate repairs have been done. There will be no harm to the people .

“The officials of the refinery have begun work.

“The safety of the people of the area is guaranteed.”

The Chairman of Okrika Local Government, Tamuno Williams, said there was no cause for alarm.

He assured that he had taken steps to ensure that gas eruption does not recur.

The Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) of Ibuluya-Okrika, Remember Chukwudi, called for government’s intervention.

But a source in Ibuluya-Okrika said the leakage could lead to fire.

The sources said: “The people of Ibuluya-Okrika are living in fear.

“Nobody cooks. We cannot put on lanterns and when motorcyclists get to the area, they must put off their bikes and push them, for fear of explosion.

“The management of the refinery is not maintaining the gaslines.

“The maintenance people came from the refinery and ran away, without doing anything.

The people of the community are not safe. This is not the first gas leaking.